Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1887-10-12
CHAPTER XII

From that time on Suzanne seldom went
out on horseback or in her phaeton that she
did not meet Raymond, as if by accident, but
they did no more than speak, but after he had
seen her he returned to the farm with heart
elate.
Both brothers had fallen victims to Su-
cannes bright and rare beauty and noble
character, but they made no confidence of
their feelings TO each other. The brothers
even seemed to avoid each other; each sought
solitude and each thought his secret hidden
from all eyes. But Pierre had to look after
tue farm and command the laborers, so that
he had small chance of meeting the object of
his dreams, while Raymond would take his
gun for countenance and linger about places
where he hoped she might pass
In France no visits are permitted to young
men at the house of any young lady, unless
after formal engagement of marriage, and
then only under such conditions as must be
very exaspera-ing to both; so neither Pierre
nor Raymond could go 10 see Suzanne at her
home, not even accompanied by their mother.
The image Of the two brothers had GER
tainly taken a little place in the existence of
Suzanne in spite of herself Before she knew
them her thoughts were bounded by her
home, her art and her father She knew
that she WIS pretty and that men admired
her, but she had always shrunk from any ex-
pressed admiration with horror unfeigned
Marriage was not for her Two or three
times before this her hand had been asked of
her father, but when he referred the question
to her she refused so determinedly that he
was fam to decline, particularly, as she said:
a do not wish to leave you, nor ever love
anybody but you as long asI live"
He thought to himself: "Some day she
will change her mind and shall be forgot
ten. Let her belong to me, then, as long as
she is content
But now Suzanne let her horse walk along
the shady paths where the rich branches
hung heavy with sparkling dewdrops, and she
whispered:
Il wonder if / shall see him to dayT And
when she saw him coming along, his gun
swung over his shoulder, she felt like flying
from the spot, but he looked so anxious, so
sad, and then when he saw her so glad, that
she did not go, Then they approached and
said good morning, with very few and simple
words more, and each went along their differ
ent paths, both happier for the meeting.
One day Suzanne was seated in a NOISY
dell in one part of their park with her port
folio and colors, trying to catch the sun
beams and make them shine through her
painted trees, but it was warm and the
drowsy sound of the little brook at her feet
made her sleepy, and resting her head upon
moss covered root she fell asleep, nor woke
until she felt a soft, sweet and chaste kiss
fall upon her forehead. With strange
prescience she knew whose lips had pressed it
there, and she, from pure maidenly shame
and dehcacy, managed TO keep her eyes
closed that he might suppose that she knew
nothing. Then Raymond murmured:
"Alas, Suzanne, love you So" and he was
gone.
Then she arose, her whole face covered
with one burning blush, and her whole being
filled with wondrously sweet happiness, and
for while, in this delicious awakening of q
pure maiden's love, she forgot. Then, sud
denly vision rose before her, and she whose
whole beautiful face but a moment before
was eloquent with love- grew pale and drawn
with horror
"What have / donei Oh, my God, what
have donel ] have let him love me- love
him. For one little minute forgot that love
and marriage are not for mep
All that day she battled with her heart,
and poor child, when its own pain had dead
ened her other senses, she thought she had |
won.
She crept into the house and up to her |
room unobserved, and when her father came
to see why she did not come down to dinner
that woman's blessed boon in the way of ex-
cuse, a headache, pleaded for her.
The next day Mime. De Noirville came to
zee them just as they had returned from a
lrive. Julia had come with the intention of
pleading Raymond's cause in his demand for
the hand of Mile. Forney. Raymond had
iriven her over, but had not attempted to
enter the house; but as M. Forney stepped
forward to receive Mime. De Noirville, Ray
mond sprang to the side of Suzanne, who re-
eaised him with GOODNESS SO marked TINT he